Go Back
+ servings
Grill-Smoked Green Chile Burgers with Bacon Weave
Print

Grill-Smoked Green Chile Burgers in a Bacon Weave

There is nothing more dazzling than a burger wrapped in a bacon weave. The green chile flavors in the burger itself make this a mouthwatering addition to any grilling session. Creating a bacon weave is very simple and will only take a few minutes once you have the hang of it. These burgers require no attention while they cook and should be pronounced done once an instant read thermometer registers the desired internal temperature (see the recipe details). As noted in the blog post, these are large burgers. Once they've rested off the grill, they can be cut in half horizontally with a sharp serrated knife to make burgers half the size if desired.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 burgers
Calories 505kcal
Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Ground Beef (80/20 blend)
  • 4- ounce can Diced Green Chilies , drained
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped Red Onion
  • 1 ½ cup grated ‘Mexican Blend’ (if purchasing pre-grated) or a mix of Cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack
  • 36 plus a few extra slices of thick , center cut Bacon; well chilled
  • Mesquite Wood Chips for smoking
  • Extras: Hamburger buns , thick slices of fresh tomato, Butter lettuce leaves, slices of red onion

Instructions

  • Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl and break it up with your hands. Add the green chilies, red onion and grated cheese. Mix well by kneading with your hands.
  • Form 6 1/3-pound patties. Place on a plate or small baking sheet, cover and refrigerate.

Making the Bacon Weave (refer to the collage above):

  • On a piece of wax paper, lay three strips of bacon horizontally with the long edges touching. Fold back the middle piece of bacon in half.
  • Place a fourth strip of bacon vertically across the top bacon slice, middle gap and bottom bacon. Fold the middle piece of horizontal bacon back over the vertical piece of bacon.
  • To the right of the vertical slice of bacon, fold the top and bottom slices of bacon back over the vertical slice of bacon. Place a fifth slice of bacon vertically over the top gap, middle bacon and bottom gap; fold the top and bottom horizontal bacon back over the fifth piece of bacon.
  • On the left of the first vertical strip of bacon, fold the top and bottom pieces back over the vertical strip of bacon. Place the last vertical strip over the top gap, middle bacon and bottom gap and fold the horizontal strips of bacon back.
  • Place a second piece of wax paper over the top of the bacon weave. Using a rolling pin, gently roll over the bacon weave to bring all of the edges together and create a uniform thickness. Remove and discard the top piece of wax paper.
  • Place one of the hamburgers in the middle of the bacon weave. Fold the ends of the bacon back over the burger to fully cover the back of the burger.
  • Gently turn the burger over and place back on the plate or pan, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before grilling. Repeat with the remaining burgers and bacon.

Grilling the burgers:

  • Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for INDIRECT grilling (the heat is to the side of the food). Place a drip pan, disposable foil pan or sheet of foil with edges crimped upward underneath the cooking grate to catch fat rendering from the burgers. Heat to 350 degrees. When at temperature, clean and oil the grill. Place a smoker box or piece of heavy foil over the heated side of the grill and add a handful of mesquite wood chips.
  • Gently add the burgers to the unheated side of the grill, with the lattice side up and close the lid.
  • Cook until the internal temperature of the burgers reaches 155 degrees for medium (the temperature will increase to 160 degrees while they rest off the grill); about 45-60 minutes. Remove and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Excess rendered fat on the bacon may be dabbed with a paper towel if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 505kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 3.1mg